Solar house designed for native reserves

U of C team aims to win contest in Washington

A team from the University of Calgary representing Canada at the U.S. Department of Energy's annual Solar Decathlon contest broke ground Tuesday morning near the school's west campus.

Now tasked with building, testing and then transporting the project all the way to Washington, D.C., for the event in late September, the multi-disciplinary group's design is a Canadian solution to Canadian problems.

"The contemporary dialogue around sustainability talks a lot about a triple bottom line, which means you need to be sustainable not only in an environmental way, but also in an economic and social way," said Johann Kyser, team manager, aboriginal relations.

"We believe we're employing a collaborative model that really represents a real change and real improvement on what's been done in the past, allowing the community to see their voice heard, with the community input really driving the design process."

Working closely with the local Treaty 7 First Nations, the Technological Residence, Traditional Living project is solar-powered and designed as a sustainable, low-cost housing alternative for northern reserve communities.

Particular attention has been paid to respect the target audience's cultural requirements, with shared kitchen and social areas acknowledging the role played between sustenance, family and community in daily life.

According to Dr. Reg Crowshoe, who acted as the team's spiritual and cultural adviser, the process is a positive first step toward improved knowledge and understanding of First Nations' issues.

"I think we're looking at how do we instil our belief system from the teepee into the modern home so that we can take pride in home ownership as First Nations," Crowshoe said. "If that can be achieved, we've taken giant steps."

For interim project manager Mark Blackwell, working with the local aboriginal community was both challenging and rewarding.

"It was great to have them as role models and mentors through the entire process, to really understand the issues they're dealing with on reserves, and to work with them to develop a collaborative solution," said Blackwell.

"The real connection of working with the community through the integrated design process -and not bringing them in after the fact -was a very interesting and challenging opportunity for us. I think the house design that's now being built really, truly reflects that cultural relevance, but integrates in the technology we've incorporated at the U of C."

The team also unveiled Cenovus Energy as its title sponsor at the groundbreaking. The company is donating $600,000 to the project.

"These people are innovating and trying to create a sustainable solution to energy and housing needs, and we're all about sustainable solutions for energy needs also, so it's a really good fit," said company spokesperson Dave Hassan. "Aboriginal housing is a pressing need and being able to create a structure that is energy-efficient and fits the needs of the aboriginal community is a real win-win."

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.